Poems by a Slave

Published in 1829 and reprinted in 1837, 'Poems by a Slave' is a collection of poetry by George Moses Horton, notable for being the first book published by an enslaved person in the United States. The poems explore themes of love, Christianity, slavery, death, and nature, reflecting Horton's personal struggles and aspirations for freedom. As the first enslaved individual to protest bondage through poetry, Horton’s work is significant in American literary history and highlights the complexities of his life until his emancipation in 1865.